The present invention relates generally to automatic focus adjusting cameras, and more particularly to an automatic focus adjusting device for use in such cameras which have a built-in electronic flash device, or on which an electronic flash device is mountable.
Generally, when scene brightness is so low that artificial illumination is required, it may be difficult for an automatic focus adjusting device to detect a focus condition, resulting in automatic focus adjustment failure. When, on such an occasion, focus adjustment is carried out by the automatic focus adjusting device, an objective lens is set to an extreme position at the nearest distance, or infinity, whatever position an object is located at, thus resulting in a photograph out of focus for the object. Yet, firing of a flash device after such accidental focus adjustment may result in a photograph with overexposure or underexposure for the object because of too much or too little illumination on the object.